Once you start using Skype for any length of time, you are hooked, You are not the only one. The service launched in 2003, and in 2012 the company said they had around 280 million users.

Skype customers spend two billion minutes a day on Skype. That’s b-b-billion, with a B! As much as people love Skype, there are ways to make it better. Here are three quick tips that will help improve your Skype experience.

Add A Message To Your Mood

You can add a short message, or even a link, to your mood:

1 Click your display name under the main menu to open your profile.

2 Click the entry field next to where it says “Mood.”

3 Type in your new mood (or delete it if desired).

You can include hyperlinks in your mood message. Press Enter (or click the check icon) to use your new message. Each contact in your Skype database can now see your message. If you change your mind, click the X to cancel any changes rather than press Enter.

Change The Font

Bored with the same old font on chats with old friends from high school? Change it up – here’s what you do:

1 Select “Tools” from the main menu, them choose “Options.”

2 Look over on the left side for “IM and SMS.” Click that menu selection.

3 Click on “IM Appearance.” Look for the “Change Font” button. Click that and choose the font type and size you want.

4 Notice that on this screen you can also choose not to show emoticons, or animated emoticons. In addition, you can opt to not show the time stamp on all instant messages.

Get Rid Of The Scribbling Pen

You know that little animated pen that writes every time you type during a conversation. Sure, it was fun at first but now it may be getting old for you. Here’s how to change it:

1 Again, click on “Tools” in the main menu bar, and slide down to click “Options.”

2 Look for “IM Settings” over on the left. Click it and then select “Show Advanced Options.”

3 Look for the check-box that says “Show when I am typing.” Untick that if there is a check mark in the box. Save that and you are ready to go.

Skype says their goal is to get to 1 billion users. That’s ambition. If you are not already a user, give it a go. The quality has never been better. For established users, these three little tips will help make your Skype calls more enjoyable.